National-flags jigsaw puzzle globe and its jigsaw puzzle structure

ABSTRACT

A national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe and its jigsaw puzzle structure are provided. The globe includes a supporting frame and a rotatable cube structure connected thereof. Each surface plate of the cube structure includes a plurality of installing holes for the puzzle pieces. Each puzzle piece has a national flag picture to represent the country. The country&#39;s information, such as the country&#39;s name, may be displayed on the surface plates near to the installing hole. The backside of the puzzle piece has a protruding structure with unique profile, and the sidewall of the installing holes has the corresponding profile. Therefore, the puzzle piece only can be fitted to the corresponding installing hole. Thus, the relationship of the country&#39;s information and the national flag picture is enhanced with an entertaining and informative manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a jigsaw puzzle structure, and more particularly, but not exclusively to a globe structure made of national flags to adapted to a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle education tool.

Related Art

An understanding of geography is a basic fundamental of education. However, it can be difficult for students to grasp physical relationships or features of various countries of continents with the current educational tools, such as the conventional flat two-dimensional map. The conventional flat two-dimensional map is typically a printed piece of paper containing outlines of various countries. When used as a learning tool, students must solely rely on memorization in order to learn the various countries on the map. However, it is difficult for students to learn relationships between countries, country locations, national flags and shapes of countries as the countries printed on the map are fixed.

A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a country. The hanging flag claims the sovereignty of a country. Flags originate as military standards, used as field signs. The use of military flags is recorded in ancient Greek and Roman books. Most countries of Europe adopted a national flag in the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries, often based on older (medieval) war flags. And then gradually evolved into the national flags of each country today. Therefore, there is need for an improved means of effectively providing and learning the relationship of the countries and their national flags in an entertaining and informative manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the above-described and other problems and disadvantages in the prior art by providing a national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe and its jigsaw puzzle structure for users to learn geographical information directly by the jigsaw puzzle and realize the relationship of the country's information and the national flag.

To achieve the above objection, the present invention provides a national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe. The globe includes a supporting frame and a rotatable cube structure connected thereof. Each surface plate of the cube structure includes a plurality of installing holes for the puzzle pieces. Each puzzle piece has a national flag picture to represent the country. The country's information, such as the country's name, may be displayed on the surface plates near to the installing hole. The backside of the puzzle piece has a protruding structure with unique profile, and the sidewall of the installing holes has the corresponding profile. Therefore, the puzzle piece only can be fitted to the corresponding installing hole. Thus, the relationship of the country's information and the national flag picture is enhanced with an entertaining and informative manner.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment for rotating state of the national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the puzzle piece of the surface plate of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating another embodiment of the puzzle piece of the surface plate of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the national flag picture of the puzzle piece of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the national-flags jigsaw puzzle structure of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the national-flags jigsaw puzzle structure of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of the present invention.

As shown, the supporting frame 10 is connected to the cube structure 20. The supporting frame 10 has a stand 11 at its bottom to support the whole structure. And the supporting frame 10 has a fixture 12 to connect the cube structure 20 via the rotating rack 13 to enable the cube structure 20 to rotate relatively to the stand 11. The cube structure 20 includes six surface plates 21 a-21 c. As shown, each of the surface plates 21 a-21 c has a plurality of puzzle pieces 30. The puzzle piece 30 may have a national flag picture thereon, and the surface plates 21 a-21 c have corresponding country information near the puzzle piece 30. Also, the surface plates 21 a-21 c have a label 23 to show the information of the continent to let users to recognize. Please also see FIG. 2 for the above structure. The surface plates 21 a-21 c and the puzzle pieces 30 may be made of metal or magnetic materials.

Please refer to FIG. 3, which is a drawing illustrating an embodiment for rotating state of the national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of the present invention. As shown, the cube structure 20 is connected to the rotating rack 13 via the upper hinge 131 and the lower hinge 132, and the rotating rack 13 is connected to the fixture 12 via the first hinge 133 and the second hinge 134. Therefore, the cube structure 20 to rotate relatively to the stand 11 horizontally and vertically. For example, five of the six surface plates 21 a-21 c may represent one continent. The name of the continent is shown on the label 23. The rest one surface plates 21 a-21 c may show the user's guide and/or the information of United Nations.

Please refer to FIG. 4, which is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the puzzle piece of the surface plate of the present invention. As above description, each of the surface plates 21 a-21 c may represent one continent. For example, the surface plates 21 b may represent the American continent. The surface plate 21 b has a plurality of installing holes 22. The amount of the installing holes 22 is equal to the amount of the countries of American continent. Each puzzle piece 30 has a national flag picture 31 thereon and may be fitted to corresponding installing holes 22. Furthermore, the backside of the puzzle piece 30 has a protruding structure 32 with unique profile, and the sidewall of the installing holes 22 has the corresponding profile 221. Therefore, the puzzle piece 30 only can be fitted to the corresponding installing hole 22. The country's information 222, such as the country's name, may be displayed on the surface plates 21 b near to the installing hole 22. The arrangement of the puzzle pieces 30 may sort by the abbreviations of countries. For example, the first country is Netherlands Antilles, AHO, of the American continent.

The backside of the puzzle piece 30 has a protruding structure 32 with unique profile, and the sidewall of the installing holes 22 has the corresponding profile 32. Therefore, the puzzle piece 30 only can be fitted to the corresponding installing hole 22. The puzzle piece 30 with Canadian flag cannot be fitted to the installing hole 22 corresponding to the puzzle piece 30 with Mexican flag, and only can be fitted to the installing hole 22 corresponding to the Canada. Thus, the national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of the present invention provides flexibility in learning with an entertaining and informative manner.

Please refer to FIG. 5, which is a drawing illustrating another embodiment of the puzzle piece of the surface plate of the present invention. For example, the surface plates 21 b may represent the American continent. The surface plate 21 b has a plurality of installing holes 22. The amount of the installing holes 22 is equal to the amount of the countries of American continent. Each puzzle piece 30 has a national flag picture 31 thereon and may be fitted to corresponding installing holes 22. Furthermore, the backside of the puzzle piece 30 has a protruding structure 32 with unique profile, and the sidewall of the installing holes 22 has the corresponding profile 32. Therefore, the puzzle piece 30 only can be fitted to the corresponding installing hole 22. The country's information 222, such as the country's name, may be displayed on the surface plates 21 b near to the installing hole 22. The surface plate 21 b include the protruding sidewalls to form the installing holes 22.

To enhance the relationship of the country's information 222 and the national flag picture 31, the puzzle piece 30 may have a hidden country abbreviation 33. The hidden country abbreviation 33 is coated with noctilucent materials. Please refer to FIG. 6, which is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the national flag picture of the puzzle piece of the present invention. In normal daytime or brightness conditions, the users only can see the national flag picture 31. In low-brightness conditions, the hidden country abbreviation 33 is visible. Therefore, when the user cannot recognize only by the national flag picture 31, he/she may shield the light to read the hidden country abbreviation 33 to identify the country. This may provide flexibility in learning with an entertaining and informative manner. Also, the hidden country abbreviation 33 may be printed in the backside directly.

With the same concept, please refer to FIG. 7, which is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the national-flags jigsaw puzzle structure of the present invention. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle structure includes a surface plate 23. As shown, the surface plate 23 has a plurality of puzzle pieces 30. The surface plate 23 has a plurality of installing holes 22. Each puzzle piece 30 has a national flag picture 31 thereon and may be fitted to corresponding installing holes 22. Furthermore, the backside of the puzzle piece 30 has a protruding structure 32 with unique profile, and the sidewall of the installing holes 22 has the corresponding profile 221. Therefore, the puzzle piece 30 only can be fitted to the corresponding installing hole 22. The country's information 222, such as the country's name, may be displayed on the surface plate 23 near to the installing hole 22. Please also see FIG. 8 for the above structure.

Please refer to FIG. 9, which is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of the present invention. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe includes a sphere 40. The sphere 40 has a global map thereon, including country territory 41. Each country has a corresponding puzzle piece 30. The structure and feature of the puzzle piece 30 and its corresponding installing hole are the same with the previous embodiment. The sphere 40 further includes a mounting base 42. The mounting base 42 allows the sphere 40 to be positioned for display or use and allows the user to easily rotate or spin the sphere 40. The country's information, such as the country's name, may be displayed on the sphere 40 near to the puzzle piece 30.

The surface plates and the puzzle pieces may be made of metal or magnetic materials. The users may easily fit the puzzle pieces to the surface plates thereof. By the cube structure, the users may realize the location of each country on the five continents. The stand or the mounting base enable the cube structure or the globe to rotate relatively to the stand or the mounting base horizontally and vertically to make the users find any locations easier. Each puzzle piece has a national flag picture to represent the country. The country's information, such as the country's name, may be displayed on the surface plates near to the installing hole. The backside of the puzzle piece has a protruding structure with unique profile, and the sidewall of the installing holes has the corresponding profile. Therefore, the puzzle piece only can be fitted to the corresponding installing hole. Thus, the relationship of the country's information and the national flag picture is enhanced.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe, comprising: a supporting frame; and a cube structure, connected to the supporting frame and comprising: a plurality of surface plates, each including a plurality of installing holes; and a plurality of puzzle pieces, each has a national flag picture thereon to fit in the corresponding installing hole; wherein a backside of each puzzle piece has a protruding structure with unique profile, and a sidewall of the corresponding installing hole has the same profile.
 2. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of claim 1, wherein a country's information is displayed on the surface plate near to the corresponding installing hole.
 3. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of claim 2, wherein the country's information is the country's name.
 4. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of claim 1, wherein the surface plates are made of metal or magnetic materials.
 5. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of claim 1, wherein the puzzle pieces are made of metal or magnetic materials.
 6. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of claim 1, wherein the supporting frame comprising: a stand; a fixture, connected to the stand; and a rotating rack, connected to the fixture to enable the cube structure to rotate relatively to the stand.
 7. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of claim 6, wherein the cube structure is connected to the rotating rack via a upper hinge and a lower hinge.
 8. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of claim 6, wherein the rotating rack is connected to the fixture via at least one hinge.
 9. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of claim 1, wherein the cube structure includes six surface plates.
 10. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of claim 1, wherein the puzzle pieces further has a hidden country abbreviation coated with noctilucent materials.
 11. A national-flags jigsaw puzzle structure, comprising: a surface plate, including a plurality of installing holes; and a plurality of puzzle pieces, each has a national flag picture thereon to fit in the corresponding installing hole; wherein a backside of each puzzle piece has a protruding structure with unique profile, and a sidewall of the corresponding installing hole has the same profile.
 12. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle structure of claim 11, wherein a country's information is displayed on the surface plate near to the corresponding installing hole.
 13. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle structure of claim 12, wherein the country's information is the country's name.
 14. A national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe, comprising a sphere with country territory thereon, characterized in that each country territory has a installing hole with unique profile to be fit by a puzzle piece.
 15. The national-flags jigsaw puzzle globe of claim 14, wherein the puzzle piece has a national flag picture thereon and a backside of the puzzle piece has a protruding structure with the same profile of the corresponding installing hole. 